Honda UK to resume full production

Honda’s UK manufacturing facility in Swindon is to increase its car production to normal levels from next month, allowing mass production of the new Honda Civic to commence.

The plant has experienced a difficult year, with production disrupted by parts delays caused first by the earthquake and tsunami in Japan and subsequently by severe flooding in Thailand in October.

The Thailand catastrophe led to a 50 per cent reduction in production at the Wiltshire site, which employs 3000 people, because several small electrical and engine components could not be sourced.

While the vast majority of parts used to produce Honda’s European-built products are sourced in Europe, a few parts are sourced from Thailand.

Now Honda of the UK has confirmed that “the situation has improved sufficiently to allow Honda of the UK Manufacturing Ltd to plan for a return to normal production activities” on 19 December. The plant can produce a maximum of 638 vehicles per day

“Our associates have shown great understanding over the last month and we are all now really excited about the prospect of starting to produce our new Civic,” said Andy Piatek, Director of Manufacturing at Honda in Swindon.

Due to the disruption, the Civic is expected to be available from February, a month later than originally planned.